Words Spoken Too Late
by Mi Amortentia
Summary: All around Rikku people are starting to settle down, but Rikku wants one last adventure before following her friends, and she just might get one. Full summ. inside.


**A/N: I dunno, just something I started when I was bored. R&R pwease.

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Words Spoken Too Late

**Full Summary: All around Rikku people are starting to settle down, but Rikku wants one last adventure before following her friends, and she just might get one. What starts with a trip to Djose ends up becomming a familiar fight for survival. Can Rikku save both Spira and keep her heart from being broken, or will she have to makea sacrafice? And what about Gippal? Is he making a big mistake? Will his choices be the reason for breaking Rikku's heart? This is their story about love, hate, and trajedy. Someone _will_ end up with a broken heart. It's just a matter of time. **

**Chapter One**

As Rikku plopped down on the sandy beach to watch the fluffy clouds pass by, she was distantly aware that even Home would always be her true home, Besaid wasn't so bad. It was ten times better than being stuck on the Celsius for days on end. She loved her brother, even when he was being asshole-ish, but there was a limit on how much of him she could stand. Buddy and Shinra were fun to hang around too, but she needed a break from sphere hunting and being trapped on an airship. Luckily, Yuna decided to take a break too so she could enjoy having Tidus back without having to run off to find a sphere every five minutes.

Rikku looked over at her cousin just in time to see her and Tidus submerge, laughing. Tidus grabbed her around the waist and started kissing her. Rikku smiled, she was so happy that Yuna was happy again. But in the back of her mind she knew that Yuna would never fully return to sphere hunting. She'd probably marry Tidus sometime soon and they'd settle down to start a family. After that it wouldn't be long until Paine admitted her feelings for the praetor of New Yevon, Baralai. Unfortunately, Rikku didn't see any kind of future between the Gullwing's rival, LeBlanc, and the meyvn of the Youth League, Nooj. Sure, LeBlanc may have some kind of feelings for him, but whatever those feelings were, they weren't being returned.

"They really need to get a room, ya?"

Rikku looked behind her and saw Wakka walking towards her, holding a giggling Vidina. Rikku smiled and held out her arms towards Vidina.

"I guess," She replied, as Wakka gently passed the baby to her. "I dunno, I think it's kinda cute." Wakka chuckled, and shook his head.

"It won't be so cute for very long, not when they're married and starting a family of their own. It won't be cute when it happens to Paine and Baralai either," Wakka said. Rikku gave the new dad a curious look.

"Just what are you saying?" She asked.

"Nothing, that just maybe it's time that you found a special someone of your own and settled down too, ya?" Rikku shook her head and started bouncing Vidina on her knee. He giggled happily.

"I dunno. I like adventure. Not to mention how **_boring_** settling down sounds." Wakka laughed and shook his head.

"Once you start a family you don't have much free time anymore. You're always spending time with the baby, you know? To me, that's sort've like an adventure of it's own, 'cause things start becoming more complicated. Whenever you do somethin' you gotta ask yourself how it affects your kid."

"Hey, I'm only seventeen. I'm **_way_** too young to even **_think _**about that kind of stuff."

"Just keep it in the back of your mind, ya?"

Rikku didn't reply. Sure, every now and then she did think about what her future held. Would she get married? And if so, to who? Was there a special someone for her out there? Would she have kids? How many? Where would she live? So many questions that she didn't have answers for yet. Part of her was glad about that; to know that she still had an adventure left before she gave it all up.

"Ah, well, I should take Vidina back to Lu before she gets angry. I'll see you around later, ya?" Wakka said, getting up. He took the baby from Rikku as she nodded.

"Most likely, I don't think Buddy found any spheres," Rikku replied. "Oh, but we do have to pop by Bevelle to pick up Paine..." Wakka shook his head again.

"And she says there's nothing between them," he mumbled. With that he headed back for the small village, leaving behind a giggling Al Bhed girl.

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"I'm going to tell you this one more time," an agitated Paine said between gritted teeth. The team had just picked up Paine from her little meeting with Baralai. The moment she stepped onto the ship Rikku and Tidus immediately began their teasing. It wasn't long before the others had joined it, creating a tomato red, agitated Paine. "There is nothing between me and Baralai."

"Ev oui cyo cu..." (If you say so...)Rikku said, still giggling madly. Paine sent a glare in her direction.

"Ten respect points," She replied, smirking slightly as Rikku groaned. "Besides, you're one to talk. What about you and Gippal?"

"Oh, she's got you there," Tidus laughed.

"Sayhea," (Meanie) Rikku grumbled, crossing her arms tightly over her chest and pouting. Tidus laughed again and pulled the Al Bhed girl into a hug.

"But I noticed you're not denying it," he whispered in her ear. Rikku growled and shoved him away from her.

"Why would I bother? It's so not true and you know it," She countered, but the growing red flush on her face didn't help prove her words to be true. Tidus said nothing, but the expression on his face clearly showed that he thought she was lying. "Cdibet rayt. E ys **_cu_** hud moehk..." (Stupid head. I am **so** not lying...) she added, with slight hostile.

"Oac. Oui yna," (Yes. You are.) Tidus replied. Shortly after his return to Spira he began refreshing his Al Bhed.

"Hu." (No.) Rikku corrected.

"Oac."

"Hu."

"Oac."

"Oac."

"Rikku that's not going to work with me. I'm not five," Tidus said, rolling his eyes. He couldn't believe Rikku had just tried to trick him into agreeing with her in a very lame and overused way. He knew she was cleverer than that.

"Gee, this isn't childish at all," Paine, muttered to Yuna, who giggled. "If I were you, Yuna, I'd keep an eye on those two. Something may happen between them." Rikku, having heard this, grunted and stormed out of the room, leaving behind a few very amused people.

She didn't return to the bridge until a couple hours later. The timing was perfect, however, because a few seconds after she walked in, the CommSphere started beeping, indicating that someone was trying to connect with them. Shinra tapped a few keys and seconds later a cool and cocky voice filled the bridge.

"Hey Cid's girl," Gippal called. "I heard that you missed me."

"I **_what_**?" Rikku shrieked, looking at her friends. It was hard to tell which one had called Gippal and let him in on this tidbit, because they were all laughing and or smirking. "And I have a name!" Gippal laughed.

"Relax girlie," He replied. "I'm just messin' with ya. Though I wouldn't be surprised if it were true. I am, after all, incredibly studly." Rikku rolled her eyes, and walked up to the CommSphere. Gippal was currently flexing his muscles and smirking. She could've sworn she heard him mumble something about being the perfect "ladies man."

"Gippal, E haat oui vun y sehida."(Gippal, I need you for a minute.) A woman shouted off screen from Gippal's end of the Sphere. He looked in her direction.

"Fryd vun?"(What for?) He asked.

"Zicd kad ouin lida ycc ujan rana." (Just get your cute ass over here.) She replied sounding exasperated. Gippal sighed, and then grinned.

"Well it's been fun, but Lia apparently needs my help with something," Gippal said. He went quiet for a moment and then added, "Hey you should come over here sometime so we can catch up properly." He flashed the group a bright smile and then disconnected.

The group was quiet for a few moments before Rikku broke it.

"Lia? Who's Lia?" She asked, looking at Paine and Brother for any hint of clues. They shook their heads, looking just as stumped as she felt.

"Maybe it's time for a trip to Djose. We haven't been there in a few months," Yuna suggested. Tidus nodded and put his arm around his girlfriend.

"All in favor for popping by Djose and finding out who this "Lia" person is?" He asked. Everyone nodded. "Djose it is!"

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_**I remember when you and I used to build sand castles in the desert. Yeesh, how old were we then, nine and ten? We would sneak out one of the back doors of Home and hop onto a hover and head over to the Oasis, our special spot, our secret. At the time no one knew about it. It was only until after the first Oasis dried up that we had no choice but to spill our secret.**_

_**It's funny, I haven't thought about that in years. I guess in a way to cope with the pain of losing you, I tried to forget everything that happened between us. And for a while, I thought I succeeded. None of these memories resurfaced when I saw you. But now you mention this Lia person. I don't think she's someone from your Faction. But you know, maybe I should just find out before I jump to conclusions. If she is just a girl from your Faction, I'll feel like an idiot; if she's not... well, I have to find out.****

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**A/N: Review and let me know what you think. :)**


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